Salmon Steward is the official publication of the Pacific Salmon Foundation in Vancouver BC Canada
Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/129058
putting the pieces together One area that needs leadership is the Strait of Georgia. In 2009, the Foundation developed a comprehensive restoration plan for Chinook and Coho salmon in the Strait. I recall the days when hundreds of thousands of Chinook and Coho salmon were caught annually, until the early 1990s when everything changed. Equally surprising, are the lack of efforts to Part of helping solve more of the puzzle involves the Foundation leveraging its scientific and community knowledge in dialogues with industries that impact wild Pacific salmon and their habitats. In 2012, the Foundation started working with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Genome BC to study microbes in wild, hatchery and net-pen salmon aquaculture that may river industry practices and to make recommendations for future activities in salmon watersheds. The Foundation will also do the biological monitoring of B.C.'s first fully land-based, closed-containment aquaculture site that is being piloted by the Namgis First Nation. As the Foundation moves beyond its 25th anniversary, these new initiatives Fast Fact: The freshwater phase of a salmon's life is the minority of its duration and a small portion of its size. understand the cause of this decline. In 2012, the Foundation officially expanded into an international project for the Salish Sea (Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia) that integrates the efforts of universities, government labs, industry, NGO's and community groups. While the vision has been created and the necessary support of people, equipment and governments organized, the Foundation continues to seek funding to begin the program in 2014. cause disease and reduce the survival of Pacific salmon. The Foundation is bringing together a strong team of scientists to assess the risk of disease to all species of Pacific salmon, including salmon produced in hatcheries and from aquaculture. In 2012, the Foundation also started a study of the potential impacts of run-ofriver hydroelectricity developments on B.C.'s salmon. The industry group Clean Energy B.C. invited the Foundation to conduct a thorough review of run-of- are clear indicators of the reputation of the Foundation as a thoughtful, independent voice for wild Pacific salmon. These new initiatives represent significant leadership opportunities and the advent of some exciting new directions for the Foundation. We are now squarely positioned to address the remaining pieces of our Pacific salmon's life cycle puzzle! n Fast Fact: 90-98% of salmon die during the saltwater phase of their life cycle. p I P C B B B B B B B C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C D D F F G H H H H K K K K K L L L M M M M M N N N N N N N N N N P P P P P P P 20 2013 Keystone Species p18-21DrB_List.indd 20 p 13-04-23 4:44 PM